Customer Reviews

Braun 8585 Activator Self-Cleaning Shaving System

5 star:		(132)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

The key thing in an electric shaver is getting the whiskers to the cutting blades. If the foil is too thick, or the holes in the foil don't get the stubby hairs inside, the shave won't be close. My whiskers grow flat along my skin in some parts of my face, especially in my throat area. The heads of most electric shavers just glided over them without picking them up. I could only get a close shape with a blade. My previous Panasonic wet/dry shaver had little rubber fins (like on some of the better Gillette razors) at the leading edges of the foil to lift up the flat hairs so they could go into the foil. That was the best electric shave I had ever gotten up to now. But Panasonic no longer sells any model with those fins, and the replacement foils with the fins for my shaver have been discontinued.

I looked around for current shavers that might have a new approach. Shaving with a blade every day is just too hard on my skin. I came across these Brauns 8595 and 8585. The explanation of the new foil design approach seemed to make enough sense to give it a try. The two models are the same, except that the 8595 has an LCD display for $40 more. The information on Braun's website sort of reveals, if you look at what the functions of the display are, that its main purpose is to nag you--time to clean, time to replace the foil, etc. So I saved the extra money and got the 8585.

I have been very impressed with it. The differently shaped foil slots/holes really do seem to pull in the hairs. No electric shaver is ever going to be as completely close as a blade, but this is pretty near to it. It's at least as good as my old wet/dry Panasonic with the hair-lifting fins.

Here's a semi-undocumented tip. The instructions say that you charge the shaver by putting it in the cleaning/charging station. They also say that you can use the power cord for corded shaving if the battery is discharged, and that the battery charges whenever the shaver is connected to a power outlet. What they DON'T say outright is what these facts suggest and I discovered: you can charge the shaver by connecting it to the outlet directly with the power cord. You don't have to use the cleaning/charging stand. This makes it easier to travel with the shaver, since you don't have to take that liquid-filled cleaning stand with you.

I have had it for a couple of weeks now. I have used Norelco and Remington shavers in the past as well as the Gillette Mach 3 Turbo. I can honestly say the shave is as close as a blade. However, there is no mess. Also the self cleaning feature works wonderful as well. No more disgusting stubble clean ups. You can get the refill for $9.95 for 2 month supply. You can't beat it. I love it.

Firstly I'd like to make a comment about razors in general. They are two main types on the market today, 1. multiple blades (Gillette is well known for that, I think they are up to 5 blades now); and 2. Electric razors, which can be rotary (e.g. Norelco) or foil (e.g. Braun). Make no mistake about it, a blade razor will ALWAYS shave closer than any electric razor, for the simple reason that the blade(s) can get right on your skin to cut the hair, while electric razor's blades are always hidden and can never cut as close. So if you are looking for a magic electric razor that shaves as close as the blades, STOP, because they don't exist, at least not yet.

I got a Norelco a few months back, and this was a welcome change for me as shaving got quicker and less messy, but for some reason, my face never got used to it. No to mention how it doesn't shave nearly as close, I was getting worse razor burns from the Norelco than my usual blades. And this was while I used the Nivea lotion that came with the Norelco. The advertised pull and cut action with the Norelco is a buch of baloney, as I could feel the little stubs on my face no matter how long I shave. I gradually got irritated by the Norelco but was somewhat reluctant to go back to blades full time as I had gotten too lazy to use them everyday.

The next natural step was to try the foil shavers. Like a previous reviewer, I opted to pass on the LCD display screen of 8595 and went for the cheaper but otherwise identical 8585 model instead. It was expensive but well worth the money. These Germans sure know how to make the gadgets. I always use the back of my hand to feel my chin after shaving and check how close the shave was, and this was almost as good as my Mach-3 blades and in about half the time, with no messy shaving creams and annoying cuts and burns. The foil is incredibly slick and glides across your face like Teflon and it usually takes me about 3 to 4 passes on the same area to get a satisfactory shave. It holds comfortable in your hands, and by virtual of its design, shaves much better than the rotary razors at curvy places around the chin. It also self-cleans and from the smell of the cleaning solution, I presume it self-disinfects. The cleaning station is probably too bulky to take on the road but unless you travel for more than 2 weeks, the razor really doesn't get "dirty" enough to require any cleaning. The cleaning can get really loud (much louder than the shaving), but it's a minor annoyance to me.

I still enjoy a hot shave with my razor every once a while, but this Braun is definitely my default choice now. If you can spare the money to buy one, you won't regret it.

Let me start off by saying that Braun makes the best electric shavers I've used. I've stuck with them for more than 15 years. When the battery on my 5614 stopped holding a charge I decided to upgrade to the 8585. It is much better than the 5614 for getting tough areas along the sides of the neck and base of the jaw. In fact, there is really no comparison between the 5000 series and the 8000 series. The 8585 blows everything else away... it really is worth the extra money. Don't be cheap, upgrade. You won't regret it.

The new micro screen's shape really does pick-up more hair in less strokes. Combined with the side-to-side vibration that really does cut down on razor burn. While it's not quite as good as an old fashioned blade it's much better than any electric I've ever used. The only difference between the 8595 and this one is the battery indicator display. It shows the power status and tells you when it needs cleaning. I just don't think it's worth the extra money for that. They share the same micro screen, cutter, and other features.

Couple hints for maximum performance: The clean and charge refills are very expensive. If you only use that feature once a week you can maintain high performance with much less cost. In between, simply remove the micro screen and blow the hairs off the blades each time. Just takes a second. If you gently drop the micro screen an inch or two onto a hard surface like the sink it will jar loose any hairs stuck therein. You shouldn't need to recharge the battery more than once a week anyway.

Pros:
I can now use one shaver to cut long whiskers. I used to use a Braun for short whiskers and a Norelco for long whiskers that grew when I did not shave every day.
The shaver does not pull the whiskers as they are cut, regardless of the length.
I have used my shaver for six months and it still holds a good charge and cuts well due to the cleaner, I think.
Cons:
Cost of cleaner -- I use about one per month but it does seem to do what it claims. It keeps the shaver clean, lubricated, and smelling chemically clean.

I would buy it again. Also, I would not waste money on the LCD display.

After thirty years, and five Norelco electric razors, I decided to live on the edge and try something new. This razor gives a much better shave than I've ever had from an electric shaver. While I don't believe that any electric will come quite as close as a blade, this is the best I've ever used.

Now in regard to some of the negatives I've read in the other reviews, I have not experienced any of those problems. The razor is no louder than my last Norelco. The build quality appears very good, with exception to the plastic travel case. The auto cleaning works wonderfully. I've had the razor for ten weeks, using the auto clean every day, and the original cleaning cartridge is not empty yet. I expect I'll use three or four of the disposable cleaning cartridge per year, but for about a nickel per day a clean, sterile, and just plain good smelling razor is a bargain.

I suppose I wouldn't have any credibility here if I didn't have a couple minor negatives to report. First, the cleaning/charging base is a bit larger than I expected. Next the wall plug is big and sticks out further than I would have liked. And finally, the cleaning cycle does make a bit of noise as the razor cleans and flushes itself. These a very minor complaints.

Overall, I would not have taken the time to write this review if I hadn't been exceptionally pleased with the performance of this product. Thanks for reading!

Have always had trouble getting a really clean shave with electric razors - especially the neck - especially if I skip shaving for a day or two (which I sometimes do on weekends). With this razor, no problems at all, the shave is really superior. It catches hairs other electrics miss. The self cleaning thing is a little over the top for my taste. I'd prefer a less imposing stand with a smaller foodprint and more subtle lights, but hey, it works! Altogether a terrific upgrade on my old Braun, and in another universe compared to my (very) old Norelco.

I've been using electric shavers for about seven years, and have gone through five. This isn't to say I use them until they stop working - I use them until the lure of something better comes along. I've gone from an old hand-me-down Remington to an under-powered little Braun, to an unsuccessful stint with a triple-head that was supposed to dispense soothing goo, to a fantastic Remington Microscreen whose life was cut short by the rigors of life in the desert (California, Kuwait and Iraq), to its similar but not-as-good Remington replacement.

A common issue dogged these razors - wear and tear. Blades and screens spend more time touching your face than you do, and the "blade chamber" invariably becomes dusted and choked with stubble, skin and the detritus of electric shaving. The chaps at Braun, perhaps sensing a chance to set themselves apart from the electric shaving pack, came up with the Self-Cleaning Shaving System.

And I must say I'm impressed.

Now, the razor itself is keen. It has a nice size, a good heft, and a straight shaving head mounted on a rotating base that gives it just enough flexibility for under-neck shaving. The flexible screen abandons the "lots of little holes in a grid" concept for a crazy-cross hatched slot-and-hole screen that does a good - not perfect, but good - job of letting hairs at odd angles meet the blades. The shave itself is a dream. Those hard-to-get odd angled hairs aside, the razor works smoothly and almost imperceptably. It has a light touch, even if you push it hard into your skin.

My observation in support of this is that I had no "adjustment period" switching from the Remington to the 8585. None. Therefore, I attest the 8585 is gentle but all business, giving a damn fine close-but-not-too-close shave with very little irritation.

Now, back to the innovation here - the self-cleaning system. It is, without exaggeration, awesome. Using an alcohol-mixture cartridge, you simply place the 8585 in the charging stand after a shave. Now, I'm not sure how the system determines how hard to work at cleaning, but it thinks for a bit, and then picks either low (eco) medium (normal) or high (intensive). The process, as far as I can tell, is it soaks the razor head in the solution, the shaving scum is washed away, and the alcohol evaporates. You're left with a fully clean electric to use for your next shave with the faint scent of lemony gin.

It keeps the blades sharp, the screen unclogged, and just plain works.

As another reviewer astutely points out, if you want to conserve cleaning fluid, you can always charge the 8585 directly with the power cable. And, true to Braun's claim, the sucker charges quickly and will last quite a while without a re-charge.

Finally, the 8585 comes with the razor, base, charger, one cartridge of cleaning solution, a sweet hard-shell case for travel, a screen guard and a brush for taking care of external stubble.

Although I'm giving this puppy five stars, I do have two complaints/observations. Number one is that the trimmer, while aggresive and able to cut thick hair with ease, has trouble with smaller, fine errant hairs, especially on the neck. It's not a major issue, but electric shaving is never without its quirks. Next, the cleaning cartridges cost about eight bucks a pop, and if the thought of paying this much for the self-cleaning luxury bugs you, you probably shouldn't consider this razor.

Another random note: if you absolutely cannot live without an LCD display on your razor, for about thirty dollars, Braun will sell you the 8685, which I presume is exactly the same razor. Save the thirty bucks, people. Razors do not need LCD displays.

In summary: this is a fantastic razor well worth the cost. It isn't perfect, but it turns a previously glaring weakness of electrics - the chore of regular maintenance - into a strength. For a comfortable, easy going electric shaver, the 8585 is a charmer.

I've had it for three weeks now and am 110% satisfied. I was hoping it would be as close as what I had with a razor but was extremely happy to see that it's much closer and easier. No fooling around with shaving cream. No fooling around with opening the head and manually cleaning it. It couldn't be easier and closer.

This was an upgrade from the Braun TriControl, the Braun Flex XP 2 and the Norelco Reflex Plus 6. I also tried a Remington Micro Screen (twin head) as a replacement for my older Remington 700. On my thick one day beard the 8585 is substantialy quicker and smoother than the others. The 8585 actually feels good on my face and there's no pinching or irritation to speak of. Running my free hand firmly against the skin, just ahead of the shaver to stand the beard up, produces a shave that is as close as what you would get with a disposable twin bladed razor. But not as good as the premium two to four blade razors like Sensor and Mach 3. And even then, to get a smooth as silk face takes a LOT of time. I have to keep teasing the beard up with my free hand and keep going over and over the same spot. Eight to nine minutes later I will have a close as a blade shave. That is a lot of time and effort. Now if I'm in a hurry, in two to three minutes I can get a pretty good "go to work shave". It's on that type of shave that the 8585 excels. And as far as closeness goes, the Braun TriControl can actually give me a slightly closer shave but it takes a lot of time to do so and it's not nearly as comfortable.

I like the way they isolated the vibration from the users hand. I have mild arthritis and the Flex XP is so buzzy that it's tiring to hold for a long time. The only down side I see is that you can't rinse the 8585 with water to clean it like you can with the TriControl and Flex shavers. To me the self-cleaning stand is just one more bother in my already cluttered world. So the bottom line is that it's a little smoother and much quicker than the lower line Brauns, (although I have not tried the Syncro System). And it feels absolutly fantastic on my skin, the Norelco was especially slow and harsh. But if you give the TriControl enough passes it cuts just as close and for a third of the money. But the 8585 can give you a decent shave in a couple of minutes while the other shavers take what seems like forever.

All in all I like it but I would have prefered a cheaper version without the cleaning stand.